In this article we are going to try and help you remove Crypt0l0cker Virus File. Our instructions cover all Windows versions.

Nowadays, computers are used everywhere and almost everyone has some important personal files stored on them. Regardless of whether we are talking about a regular user or the head of a big company, there’s nearly always some form of valuable data on the hard drive of their machine. The problem is that more often than not, the said data has not been backed up by the user. This is an extremely common mistake that can be easily exploited by hackers who use a specific type of software viruses known as Ransomware. This particular kind of malware goes straight for the user’s files and encrypts them, thus making them inaccessible until ransom is paid to the hacker. In fact, currently, this is one of the most dangerous and problematic online threats that one can get on their PC. On top of that, lately a new entry to the Ransomware family has been reported to have been unleashed. The name of the new Ransomware is Crypt0l0cker Virus and here we will be focusing on giving you all the important info that you might need, so as to keep your date protected from this malicious software.

If your files have been encrypted

Many of you are likely reading this because your data has already been locked by the nasty virus. In this case, we advise you to use our Crypt0l0cker removal guide and complete each step following the instructions. Unfortunately, this cannot guarantee that everything will be brought back to normal as it was before the Ransomware struck. Still, this is a much more preferable alternative compared to actually paying the demanded ransom. The reason for that is because you can never be sure if the hacker who’s currently blackmailing you has any actual intention of sending you the encryption key that would enable you to unlock your files. Nothing is to say that you won’t be simply throwing away your money.

Is Ransomware undetectable?

One of the main problems with Crypt0l0cker and other similar types of malware is that most antiviruses have a hard time detecting the infection. This has to do with the method that is used to lock the files, namely, encryption. The thing about encryption processes is that they are actually a legit file protection method that is widely used by all sorts of regular and legal programs. Hackers, who use Ransomware, exploit that by using a non-malicious process, such as encryption (that process that most security programs do not see as threatening) for malicious purposes. Due to the rapidly increasing number of Ransomware attacks, some antivirus developers are trying to introduce certain anti-ransomware features within their newer products, but so far it must be said that the cyber-criminals are several steps ahead. Generally, the only truly effective method of ensuring that you have access to your files and documents is to ensure the safety and security of your machine – a topic that we will cover in our final paragraph.

But does it have any symptoms?

Typically, nearly all forms of malware are made in such a way that the number of symptoms caused by their attack on the PC is minimized. The same applies to Ransomware. Being undetectable for a lot of antivirus programs greatly decreases the chance of spotting Crypt0l0cker. However, it is still technically possible to identify the threat if you are observant enough. Before we tell you what the symptoms are, we will first give you some general information about how the encryption actually works. You see, the final files, the ones that are encrypted, are not actually your original files, but identical copies of them. When a file is to be encrypted, it first gets copied and then the original is deleted. The said copy is what is left in the end. The only real difference between the original and the copy is that the latter is encrypted and inaccessible if you lack the needed decryption key. Obviously, if you have a lot of personal data stored on your machine, the Ransomware would require some time to lock all of it. Additionally, significant amounts of CPU and RAM will be required to finish the encryption process as well as some free hard drive space for the brief period after the copies have been made and the originals have not yet been deleted. If you manage to notice those symptoms, you can technically detect the virus. If this happens, be quick to shut down and disconnect your computer from everything. The next thing you should do is contact a professional to come to your aid.

Words of advice

As we already said, this paragraph will be focused on helping you to provide your machine with better protection against malicious Ransomware viruses the likes of Crypt0l0cker. Be sure to memorize the following tips and use them in the future.

If someone sends you some shady link to your Facebook, e-mail, Skype or any other online message platform, be sure to stay away from it. It might even be from a person you know and trust, but keep in mind that their PC could have been hacked and forced to send out malicious spam messages without the user’s knowledge. Spam is very dangerous and must be avoided at all costs!

Remember how we said that not having backed up your important files is a big mistake. Well, do not be one of those users who are making it.

Never leave your PC without some form of reliable software protection. A good antivirus can stop Trojan horses that are very commonly used as backdoors into the user’s PC for Ransomware viruses.

Last but not least, do not forget to be careful when surfing the internet. The only sites you should be visiting and downloading from are ones that are trusted and reliable. Any other shady sources and pages should be avoided at all costs!

Open Task Manager and locate any processes associated with Crypt0l0cker.

Press CTRL + SHIFT + ESC keys simultaneously –> Processes Tab –> Select a suspicious process (use Google or ask us in the comments if you are not sure about a process) –> Right Click and Open File Location –> End the suspicious process in Task Manager –> Delete the Folders containing the suspicious files.